Red Joker: The Teen Years
by HallowBlue
Summary: Red can't stay little forever, much to the Joker's dismay. It's time that she grew up a bit, and lose a bit of her childlike tendencies. Let's skip ahead a few chapters, and take a look at Red's teenage years.
1. Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday

**Note: This is a side story to my series "Red Joker". If you have not read the series, this will make no sense. Enjoy~ **

Red sat at her vanity as she ran a hairbrush through her hair. Taking her black ribbon, she tied it up into a ponytail. With one final tug completing the bow, she looked in the mirror. There. All ready.

Today was a big day for her, her sixteenth birthday. It had been eight long years that she had been living with the Jokers. Since she grew up being spoiled by the both of them, she kept a bit of her childishness even as she matured. Taking a quick look around the room, she noticed that it hadn't changed that much even after all these years. Her toys had long since been stored away, except for her dolls which were aligned neatly on a shelf, and her stuffed animals that had multiplied in quantity over time. The child sized table had been replaced with a much more size appropriate one, and her vanity had become of much more use, now cluttered with various perfumes and make up, most of which were gifts from Vivaldi. She only used them occasionally, mostly when visiting a certain mouse. Other than those small details, it really hadn't changed at all.

She did her best to be more mature, but she couldn't seem to shake her childish tendencies. Despite her attempts at trying to act like an adult, she had yet to break the habit of calling the Jokers "big brother", which they were greatly pleased about. Neither of them were taking her growing up very well at all. Black mostly because of his protective nature, and White because he just couldn't handle seeing his little girl turning into a young woman. This particular day was going to be hard for them.

After getting up from her seat, she pet the head of Oliver, who had turned into a fat adult cat. He looked up at her lazily from her bed before resting his head back down and resuming his nap. He was still as loyal and protective as he was as a kitten, just lazy.

She grinned at the sleepy cat before turning and leaving her bedroom. She wasn't quite sure of her plans for today. She knew her big brothers would want to spend time with her today, but she was sure that they were already busy. She had some time to kill before they finished work. Vivaldi was very insistent that she stopped by, but she also promised to visit Alice, and of course she had to stop by the amusement park at some point. The Hatter mansion wasn't exactly on her list of priorities for the day. She may have been on better terms with them, but that didn't mean she was all too willing to hang around their territory. Being civil to each other was far from friendship. Maybe she would see the twins when she went to visit the amusement park.

Red decided to go get Alice, and then they could head to the castle together. It was best not to keep the queen waiting after all. She made her way to the circus to tell White where she was going before leaving. When she entered the tent, she saw him busy setting up for the next show. She was a lot more involved in the circus now, and performed much more regularly than she did as a child. She was still far from a star performer, but it was enough to please White. She didn't have the heart to tell him that she didn't plan on making a career of it.

"Big brother!" She called as she approached him. He turned around and smiled brightly at her.

"Happy birthday sweetie~!" He said as he gave her a tight hug, still affectionate as always.

"Thank you big brother!" Red said, returning the hug.

"So, what did you want dear? Surely you didn't come just for hug did you?" White asked as he released her.

"Is is okay if I go to the castle with Alice? And maybe go to the amusement park?" Red asked, the second question in a much quieter voice.

"Of course sweetheart. Just be back before dark~! Remember, we want to celebrate your birthday with you today too." White said.

"Okay big brother~! And uh, don't tell Black I'm going to the amusement park, okay?" Red asked. Now that she was older, Black had become more and more suspicious of Red's relationship with Pierce. Now he hardly ever allowed her to go to the amusement park, which is exactly why she asked White instead. He chuckled at her and patted her on the head.

"My lips are sealed." He said.

"Thanks." Red said, relieved.

"No problem sweetie, now go on and have fun." White said. Red smiled at him before turning and walking out of the tent. Now, off to the tower.

…

Red knocked on the door of the tower and was greeted by Gray, who let her inside and went off to get Alice. The tower residents had grown used to her stopping by. She still wasn't sure why she still lived in the tower. She had been in a relationship with Blood for quite awhile now. Red believed it was only because of the resemblance between Blood and Alice's former lover, but she never said anything. Alice's love life wasn't any of her business. She was now a grown woman after all, and she could take care of herself.

After a few minutes, Alice came into the room, carrying a gift box in her hands, which Red could only assume was her birthday present. Alice hurried over to her and gave her a one armed hug while holding her gift with other.

"Happy birthday Red! I can't believe you're already sixteen!" Alice exclaimed.

"Thanks Alice! And I thought since Vivaldi wanted me to visit, I thought I'd see if you wanted to come too." Red said.

"Of course! Shall we get going?" Alice said. Red nodded and the two of them headed out.

"So, have you visited Pierce yet?" Alice asked as they walked with a grin on her face.

"No, not yet, why?" Red asked, although she already knew what Alice was implying.

"I just think he'd like to see you. I'm sure he has a gift for you~." Alice said in a teasing voice. Red blushed but didn't respond. Alice just giggled. Soon enough, they arrived at the castle. The guards led them to Vivaldi, who immediately took them outside to where she had her tea. After ordering the maids to bring tea and sweets, she sat down at the head of the table while Alice and Red took their seats as well.

"Ah, it seems like it was just yesterday when you first wandered in here, lost and alone." Vivaldi said as she glanced over at the entrance, lost in a sense of nostalgia. With a sigh, she turned back to Red and Alice.

"But, we are still very glad to see you have finally become a beautiful young lady." She said, her smile returning to her face. Red blushed, embarrassed by her compliments.

"And of course, we have gifts for you." Vivaldi said. Snapping her fingers, a servant stepped forward and set several gift bags and boxes down on the table if front of Red. Alice decided now was a good time to set her own gift down along side Vivaldi's.

"Go on child, open them." The queen urged. Red did as she was told and began to open the gifts. The first few gifts were nothing unusual, mostly more makeup, clothes, and a few accessories. They were lovely, though she was pretty sure Black would have most of the clothes burned as soon as he saw them. Though pretty, they were a tad revealing. Finally, she came to Vivaldi's final gift. It was a normal sized, flat rectangle shaped gift box. She suspected it to be another dress or some form of clothing. Well, she wasn't completely wrong.

"Since you are now a young woman, we thought your wardrobe could use a bit more lace~." Vivaldi said with a grin. The way she said it made Red feel uneasy. Nervously, she lifted the lid of the box and her face immediately turned a bright shade of red. Laying in the box was a horrendous monstrosity of lacey red fabric. The queen had given her a set of... lingerie. They luckily were not as revealing as they could be, but that didn't ease the fact that she had just been given lacey underwear as a gift.

Both the queen and Alice burst out laughing at the expression on her face. Red was mortified. What reason would she ever have to wear this?! She quickly put the top back on the box and shoved it away from her in embarrassment.

"Oh Red, don't be so shy. We're all women here." Vivaldi said in between giggles.

"And those aren't something that you wear everyday. It's specifically for "special" occasions." Vivaldi continued. Alice still continued to giggle at Red's confused expression. She still held onto a bit of her childlike innocence as well. The Jokers informed her of "the birds and the bees" a little later on than they probably should have, so she was still a bit clueless at times.

"What do you mean "special"?" Red asked, her cheeks still a dark shade of pink.

"That is something you will figure out when the time comes." Vivaldi said simply. Red didn't understand, but she really want to linger on this topic any longer than they already had. The matter was dropped, and Alice urged her to open the gift she had gotten for her.

She was not nearly as nervous about Alice's gift. She really didn't see her getting her any revealing clothing or lingerie. Opening the box, she was happy to see that she had gotten her a normal, practical, gift. It was a simple paint set containing a variety of acrylic paints and a few brushes. This would be very useful as Red's art skills had improved greatly over time, and she had become quite talented.

"Thank you very much Alice, and Vivaldi." Red said with a grateful smile.

"You are very welcome child. Now, let us drink this tea before it becomes cold." And with that, the three of them continued to drink tea and snack on cookies and cakes while chatting. After they had finished, Red said that she needed to get going. She still had to visit the amusement park, and she needed to get back to the circus before dark. Alice decided to stay with Vivaldi a little while longer, so Red went off by herself. Carrying the multiple gifts in her arms, she went off towards the park.

…

Red was exhausted by the time she arrived. It wasn't that long of a walk, but carrying the gifts made it much more difficult. She sat down on a bench before going to find Pierce. She needed a bit of rest before she was willing to walk any further. Setting the gifts down on the bench beside her, her arms fell limply at her sides. She wasn't sure how she was going to carry them back home.

It was only a few minutes before she heard a familiar squeaking sound from behind her. She grinned at Pierce's attempt at a surprise attack and pretended not to notice. As expected, a pair of hands covered her eyes.

"Guess who~!" He said. Red giggled before answering.

"Hmm, I don't know... is it Boris?" Red guessed jokingly. The hands disappeared and Red turned her head, seeing Pierce pouting behind her.

"No chu~! It's me!" He said, almost offended that she had guessed wrong, causing her to giggle again.

"I know Pierce, I was only kidding." She said, causing him to smile once again. He got up from his hiding place and moved in front of her before reaching down and wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

"Happy birthday Red~!" He said happily. Setting her back down, he pulled his gift out from his pocket.

"H-here, I got this for you." He said as he held it out to her. She took it from him and lifted the lid to see a black wrist cuff lined with red lace sitting at the bottom of the box. A red ribbon decorated with black hearts was tied around it into a bow.

"Do you like it?" Pierce asked anxiously.

"Yeah! Thank you Pierce!" Red said as she pulled it out of the box.

"Will you help me put it on?" Red asked.

"Of course chu~!" He said, happy that she approved of his present. He took the cuff from her and she held out her arm. He carefully wrapped the cuff around her wrist, the buttons clicking as they snapped together. Red admired the pretty accessory with a smile. Suddenly, the time changed to evening. Red frowned. Already? She wanted to spend more time with Pierce.

"Aw, my big brothers wanted me to be home by dark." Red said.

"You have to go already?" Pierce said, disappointed.

"Yeah, they won't be happy if get back late." Red said and began to pick up the gifts from the bench. One of the boxes slipped out of her arms, but luckily Pierce caught it.

"Do you need help chu~? I can carry those for you!" Pierce offered.

"Yeah, thanks Pierce." Red said gratefully. Pierce took the gifts from her arms with ease, except for the one containing Vivaldi's "special" gift, which Red insisted on holding onto. She really didn't want to run the risk of him seeing what was inside. She would surely die of embarrassment.

"Come on Pierce, we'd better hurry."

…

They managed to make it back to the Joker's territory before dark. There was still a little time before her big brothers would be done with work, so she allowed Pierce to carry the gifts to her room. It wasn't the first time he'd been in her bedroom. He had been there a couple of times before after he had walked her home, usually when the Jokers were out.

Pierce set the gifts down on the table, but Red didn't set the one in her hands down. She wasn't letting it out of her grasp until he was long gone. Before he left, he gave Red a quick goodbye kiss on her cheek. It wasn't anything special, as he had been doing it since she was eight. It was Pierce, after all. Even after all these years, he hadn't caught on to how she felt about him.

He was just about to leave when the door opened. Red's clock nearly stopped as Black entered the room. His eye narrowed dangerously as he saw Pierce standing in her bedroom.

"What is he doing in your bedroom?" Black demanded angrily.

"H-he was just helping me carry my birthday presents! That's all!" Red said nervously.

"Is that so?" Black said as he walked over to the two of them.

"So, what exactly did you get my little sis, rat?" Black asked. Pierce didn't answer, frozen in fear under his glare. Black's eye landed on the gift in Red's hands. Assuming that was the one Pierce had given her, he took it out of her grasp.

"W-wait! Th-that's not-!" Red stuttered, but it was too late. Black dropped the lid to the ground, staring at the contents of the box. His eye twitched before he looked up to glare at Pierce.

"This is what you got for my little sister?" He asked through gritted teeth. Pierce was confused until he saw what was in the box. Now he understood the situation, and he was terrified.

"N-no big brother! That's not what he-!" Red exclaimed, blushing furiously, thoroughly embarrassed by what was happening. Black wasn't listening. He dropped the box on the floor and pulled out his whip. He took a step towards the trembling mouse, his furious expression more terrifying than ever.

"**Run**." He uttered the single word in low voice. Pierce was happy to oblige. Black chased him out of the room, shouting vulgar threats at the top of his lungs. Red only sighed as she heard Pierce's screams and Black's shouts slowly fade into the distance.

"Yeah, thanks Vivaldi. Thanks a lot."

******I decided to go with a series of one-shots instead a full-length story. It will just be easier for me this way. If you have any suggestions/ideas/requests feel free to leave them in a review or a pm. **I also thought it would probably be a good idea to have a humorous story along side the emotional sh**storm that Red Joker: True Origins will be. Hope you enjoyed the first of many tales of Red's teen years. I had way too much fun writing this :3


	2. Sneaking Out

Sneaking Out

**Okay, I've decided, since I'm regularly updating two stories at once, that I need to change up my schedule. From now on, every Saturday I will update either this story, or Red Joker: True Origins. So, next Saturday I will update True Origins, and then Teen Years, then True Origins, and so on. This way I'll have two weeks to write a new chapter instead of just one, but you will still get something every Saturday. Everyone cool with that? Okay, enjoy the one-shot~**

Red looked in full length mirror on her bedroom wall, satisfied with her outfit of choice. Thankfully, some of the clothes Vivaldi had given her were actually appropriate for her to wear. She had chosen a simple sleeveless black dress over a black and white striped shirt. She also wore thigh high white socks with black bows and a pair of black flats. She even wore the gift Pierce had given her. She had made sure her makeup looked nice, having some eyeshadow and a bit of lip gloss with just a little bit of blush on her cheeks. She hadn't bothered to put her hair up, instead letting it fall over her shoulders. Perfect.

She glanced over to her bed, where Oliver was napping. The pillows she had shoved under the covers gave off the illusion that she was sleeping. Flicking off the light, she left her room. The hallway was dark, as the Jokers no longer needed to leave the light on for her. Quietly, she tiptoed down the hallway past Black and White's bedrooms. She wasn't sure if they were asleep or not, but she really didn't want to find out. She wouldn't get very far if she ran into either of them. She wouldn't even have to go through this if Black hadn't freaked out so much on her sixteenth birthday. Even after she explained what happened, he still refused to allow her to see Pierce. So, they were reduced to these late night meetings. She had never snuck out before, or so much as disobeyed her big brothers. She wasn't a rebellious teenager, she just wanted to see her friend.

She was nearly at the end of the hallway when she heard footsteps. She could tell by the sound that it was Black. She panicked and ducked into the nearest room, which happened to be Black's office. She thought she was safe until the footsteps stopped right outside the door. She quickly hid underneath his desk, curling up into a ball in order to fit completely.

The lights were turned on and she heard him walk inside. Her clock ticked faster as he approached the desk. She was dead if he caught her. Well, at least grounded for very long time.

She held her breath as he came around the desk. He thankfully didn't sit down, but instead began shuffling through some papers. Her eyes grew wide in fear when a paper slipped off the desk and landed right in front of her. She was frozen in fear as he bent over to pick it up. She was sure she had been caught.

His face was just a few feet away from hers as he snatched up the piece of paper, luckily though, she was in his blind spot. He stood back up and continued to look through the papers without noticing she was there. He only stayed for a few minutes longer before he eventually left the room. Red breathed a sigh of relief as the door shut and the lights were flicked off.

Red waited a few moments before getting out of her hiding place and tiptoeing to the door. Poking her head out, she saw that the coast was clear. Very, very quietly, she crept out into the hallway. Before anyone else could get in her way, she hurried around the corner and away from her older brothers.

…

Red had to be careful in the circus as well, fearing that White's employees would tell him if they spotted her sneaking around. Ducking behind various stalls and scattered equipment, she thought she had avoided all of the workers. That was, until she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She spun around and was met with one of the performers. He was fairly new, and was also one of workers that had been flirting with her since the day he was hired. She tried politely turning him down, but he was persistent. Since she knew full well what would happen to him if her big brothers knew, she decided not to tell them and just deal with it.

"What are you doing out here so late sweetheart? You wouldn't be sneaking out would you? Naughty naughty~" He purred with a sly grin. Red cringed but did her best not to punch him in the face.

"I have to... meet someone. So, if you could, you know, not tell anybody you saw me, that would be great." Red said, smiling and batting her eyelashes, which usually worked in most cases.

"Oh I don't know, lying to my boss? I don't think I could do such a thing!" He said, earning an eye roll from Red.

"But, I think I might be able to handle the guilt if you could do me a little favor~" He said.

"What do you want?" She asked with a sigh. He leaned over and whispered his request in her ear. Her eyes grew wide and she cringed in disgust at what he wanted from her.

"Absolutely not!" Red exclaimed angrily.

"Oh~? Then I guess I better go tell Mr. Joker that his dear little sister is sneaking off in the middle of the night to see some boy~. Later, sweetheart." He said as he turned and began to walk away. In desperation, Red reached out, grabbing him by the shoulder and yanking him back.

"How about this? You tell my big brothers what I'm doing, and I'll tell them about how you've been flirting with me for the past several weeks, and I think I'll add what you just requested of me." Red threatened. She didn't like doing this, but he really left her no choice.

"And I don't think I have to tell you about the last worker who was caught flirting with me." Red said. The poor boy's face went completely pale at the threat. Everyone knew about that. The warden made a point to inform every new male employee of it.

"Okay, okay! I won't tell! I swear!" He said frantically.

"Good, now get away from me before you blow my cover!" Red said and the boy hurried off. As you could probably tell, Red had gotten a tad more aggressive as well. She was still a very kind and sweet person, but she had long since stopped letting people walk all over her. That fact played a big part in why she was able to get along with the Bloody twins now.

Red managed to sneak over to the exit undetected and started off down the road, avoiding the light of the street lamps. Instead of meeting at the amusement park, they instead decided to meet at a cafe in town. It was the same cafe that he had taken her too all those years ago. It was the same place where they had been mistaken for a couple, and would undoubtedly happen this time. It happened so often now that neither of them paid any mind.

She had never been out in the town this late before. There wasn't a whole lot of people around, as it has been stated before, it is much more dangerous at night. It was really dark except for the occasional flickering neon sign or a dull glow from a window. The air was slightly chilly and the ground was damp from previous rain. She had wished she had brought a jacket with her, but it was too risky to go back for one. Besides, she could already see the cafe up ahead.

As Red approached the building, she saw the familiar silhouette of Pierce standing by the entrance. He looked nervous, which was understandable. He had even more at stake by doing this than she did. Picking up her pace, she hurried towards him, eager to finally see him again. It had been several weeks since her sixteenth birthday, and she hadn't gotten to spend any time with him since then. The only time she had spoken to him was at the last show, and their conversation only lasted long enough to plan this meeting.

"Pierce!" Red cried out happily as she reached him, wrapping her arms around him in excitement. Pierce returned the hug, but put a finger to his lips to remind her to be quiet.

"We don't want to draw any attention chu~!" Pierce said in a hushed voice.

"Oops, sorry!" Red said, barely above a whisper. Even if Black and White weren't around, the word of the Joker's little sister having a late night meet up with a male roleholder would definitely get around if they were seen.

"You're cold chu~! Let's get inside!" Pierce said and opened the door for her. Stepping inside, she saw the cafe looked almost exactly the same as it did eight years ago. It was like stepping back into the past. The only thing that showed any sign that time had past at all was the waitress, who had obviously aged since the last time they'd seen her.

After showing them to a table, she went off and allowed them to look over the menu, although it wasn't really necessary. They both ordered exactly what they had ordered the first time, whether it was mere coincidence or not is unknown.

"I really missed you Pierce. I hate not being able to see you anymore." Red said after taking a sip of her strawberry soda.

"It's okay! We're together now, right chu~?" Pierce said.

"I guess, but, how long will it be before we can see each other again?" Red said with a twinge of sadness on her voice. The Jokers obviously couldn't see how sad not allowing her to see Pierce was making her. Pierce frowned for a moment but quickly regain his smile.

"They can't keep you from seeing me forever chu~! Until then, we can keep doing this, okay? We can do it every night if it will make you happy!" Pierce said. Red couldn't help but smile back at him. He really was just too sweet. Though of course, seeing each other every night would be impossible. Honestly, she really wasn't sure how she hadn't gotten caught already.

…

Black was just about to call it night, but decided to check on Red first. She had been acting a bit strange lately and well, and he just wanted to make sure she was alright. He opened her bedroom door and peeked in. It was too dark to see anything from the doorway so he walked further into the room, shutting the door behind him. The small night light by her bed illuminated a small part of the room just enough so that he could see a lump underneath the covers which he assumed was Red. He went over to the side of her bed and glanced down at her. Why was her head covered? Surely it must get hot under there.

He pulled back the blankets a little bit in order to uncover her head, but was surprised when all he saw was the end of a pillow. He yanked the rest of it away, but Red was not there, but instead more pillows.

"That little-!" Black shouted, loud enough to wake Oliver, who had been sleeping at the foot of the bed. Throwing the covers back down, he stormed out of the room and back into the hallway. Kicking White's door open, he stormed into the room.

"Get your a** up!" He shouted. White sat up drowsily and cursed himself for not investing in a stronger door.

"What is it this time?" He asked groggily. He really should be used to these rude awakenings by now.

"The damn kid's snuck out!" Black said. White stared at him for a moment, trying to process what he just said.

"Very funny Joker. Let me guess, she's taken up smoking as well? Oh no, drinking alcohol right?" White said in an unamused tone.

"I'm serious you idiot! She snuck out to see that damn rat! I'm sure of it!" Black said. Sighing, White got up out of bed.

"Very well then. If you are correct about her sneaking out, where do you think they would be?" White asked.

"I don't know! The amusement park maybe? If he tries anything I'm gonna-!" Black shouted.

"Oh calm down. Even if she is with him, do you really think they would be doing anything inappropriate? I mean, really Joker. It's Red and Pierce we're talking about." White said.

"I don't care if he just holds her damn hand! I don't want that rat, or any guy, touching her!" Black said.

"Although I don't share your paranoia, it is rather dangerous out at night. Let's go get her, shall we?"

…

After leaving the cafe, the two weren't yet ready to leave each other's company. They instead sat down on a bench outside the building underneath a street lamp. Their time together went as expected. It was just a normal outing, idly chatting about this and that while eating their cake. They had been mistaken for a couple of course, but it hadn't fazed them. Their relationship was a bit confusing really. They referred to one another as a friend, but they way they acted said otherwise. Although Red knew what her true feelings were, she had no idea what Pierce thought. Was he still too dense to understand? Or was he just not interested? This had been going on for so long, and she felt she was finally old enough for him. She may have been shy, but if she didn't say something, who knows how much longer this would last?

Their hands laid side by side on the bench, just a few inches apart. Blushing, Red moved her hand closer until it rested on top of his. She had her face turned away from him, so she didn't see his reaction. She didn't say anything for a few moments and just sat there, trying to work up the courage for what she planned to do next. Finally, she turned back to him.

"Pierce." She said in the most confident voice she could muster. He looked over at her, completely unaware of what she was about to do. She lifted her hand off of his and cupped his cheek, leaning in closer to him. He looked confused for a moment, then he realized what was happening. He didn't move away, but instead leaned towards her, proving that the feeling was mutual.

Red's clock was racing and her cheeks were burning up, but she couldn't back out now. This was what she had wanted after all. She closed her eyes and continued to inch closer, their lips merely inches apart. After eight long years, she was finally going to show him just how she felt. Just a little closer and-

"WHAT THE F*** DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?!" A sudden shout caused them both to jolt backwards, their eyes snapping open as they turned to find the source of the shout. She really wasn't surprised to see her older brothers coming down the road. Though she had wished they had waited just a few more seconds. Neither one of them looked happy. Black was furious, while even White was frowning in disapproval.

"Run." Red said, not even looking at Pierce. He immediately obeyed, jumping off the bench and running off as fast as he could. Red stood up nervously as the Jokers came closer. She had considered running away too seeing the look on Black's face, but she would have to deal with them at some point.

"H-hi big brother?" Red said. She had seen Black this angry before, but it had never been directed towards her. Since this was the first time she had ever disobeyed her big brothers, she really had no idea what to expect.

"Little girl..." Black began in a very frightening voice. Red flinched, expecting to be scolded.

"We're going home." He said simply, but his tone sent shivers down her spine. Each of them grabbed her by her wrists and began to lead her back to the circus.

…

After one very long lecture from her older brothers later, they finally left her to sleep. Since this was the first time she had ever misbehaved in such a way, she had gotten off with only being grounded for a week, which was pretty mild compared to what she had expected. It was worth it, even if it hadn't ended the way she had hoped. It would've, if the Jokers hadn't gone and spoiled the moment. She was so close to doing what had been on her mind for years.

'Oh well,' Red thought to herself with a smile on her face as she nuzzled her face into her pillow.

'There's always next time.'


	3. Role Reversal: Part 1

Role Reversal: Part 1

**Just wanted to let you all know, if you have made a request, it will be fulfilled. The only reason I haven't done so already is because this idea has been floating around in her head for awhile now and I just had to do it already. It will be the first two part, possibly three part story that I have written for this particular series. Enjoy~**

It was early one morning when Red woke up to the sound of coughing. Sitting up, she listened closer and realized it was Black. What was he still doing here? He was always working by this time. He had work today, didn't he?

Red got up out of bed, not bothering to change out of her sleeping clothes, which consisted of a pair of little red shorts and an oversized gray t-shirt. Black always got on her about wearing something so immodest, but it wasn't like she was planning on wearing it in public. Besides, they were much more comfortable than the frilly nightgowns she had stuffed in her closet.

She hurried down the hall to Black's bedroom and threw open the door. He sat up in bed, still coughing as he did so. Red went to his side and looked at him worriedly.

"Big brother? Are you alright?" She asked.

"I'm *cough* fine!" Black said. Red was unconvinced. Putting her hand to his forehead, she found he was running a fever.

"You're sick big brother!" Red exclaimed in surprise. She'd never seen him sick before, as he was usually so healthy.

"No I'm not! I have to *cough* get to work..." Black said as he tried to stand up. Red wasn't having it and pulled him back down on the bed. In his weakened state, it wasn't very hard for even her to overpower him.

"You're not going anywhere. Lie down." Red said in stern voice that felt odd directed towards her older brother. To her surprise, Black didn't protest and obediently laid back down. Satisfied, she grinned triumphantly before turning to leave the room. Before she went into nurse mode, she wanted to make sure White was okay. Upon entering his room, she was met with the same sight. Sighing, she walked over and felt his forehead as well.

"You're sick too!" Red exclaimed.

"I'm afraid so." White said. Red took him by the arm and told him to stand up. She guided him to Black's room and instructed him to lie down as well. It would be much easier to care for them if they were in the same place. With both of them now resting, she went over to the bathroom and went through the medicine cabinets. She probably shouldn't have been surprised to find it was practically empty. This was Black's room after all.

She decided instead to search White's cabinets instead. Luckily for her, it was stocked with medical supplies, which were probably only there for her sake. She gathered up a few things she thought would be useful, including thermometers, aspirin, and cough syrup. It was technically children's cough syrup, but hey, better than nothing right? It's not like they could tell the difference anyway.

Supplies in hand, she left White's room and headed back towards Black's room. As she approached the room, she could hear shouting coming from inside. Upon opening the door, she was met with the two of them arguing.

"Scoot over fat a**!" Black shouted, kicking White in an attempt to give himself more space.

"Fat a**? We weigh exactly same!" White said, shoving him back.

"I'm all muscle, unlike you!" Black retorted. Red rolled her eyes as she stepped forward. Setting the supplies on the nightstand, she turned to the two of them. The two of them were too busy arguing to notice Red's growing irritation. Raising both her hands in the air, she smacked both of them on the head.

"Son of a b****!" Black exclaimed, grabbing his head painfully.

"Ouch! Sweetie, what was that for?!" White said, surprised by this act of violence.

"Stop fighting and lie down! You're not going to get better acting like that!" Red scolded, as if she was a mother dealing with her two fighting children. They shut up, still quietly fuming as they shot glares at one another.

"Good!" Red chirped happily before turning and grabbing the two thermometers of the nightstand. After placing them into each of their mouths, she grabbed the cough syrup. She read the instructions carefully before pouring a spoonful. She pulled the thermometer out of Black's mouth and checked it. 102°F. Yep, definitely too sick to work. Shaking her head, she put it back down and put the spoon near his lips. He cringed, but reluctantly opened up and allowed her to slip the spoon in. He nearly gagged on the disgusting medicine that claimed to be grape flavored.

"Blech! That's the most revolting thing I've ever tasted!" Black exclaimed, erupting into another coughing fit. Red couldn't help but grin. She like to think of it as revenge for all the times they had forced the horrible medicine down her throat.

Moving on to White, she checked his temperature as well. It was exactly the same as Black's, which didn't surprise her. She gave him the medicine as well, and he was much more compliant, though equally disgusted by the taste.

After she finished up, she placed everything back on the nightstand, making sure to leave the aspirin within reach in case ether of them needed it. She couldn't help but feel bad as she looked down at them. They looked so ill and weak. She had never seen them this way. Leaning over, she gave each of them a kiss on the cheek. It was the only way she could think to comfort them without getting sick herself.

"Get some rest big brother, alright?" Red said in soft, sweet voice. Flicking off the lights, she left the room and headed for the kitchen. They clearly weren't capable of cooking for themselves, and were probably hungry. But, upon opening the fridge, she discovered that there wasn't a thing to be found. She sighed. They really were awful at keeping the kitchen stocked. Oh well, she had been meaning to run into town anyway. They would be fine for a little while while she was gone.

After going back to her bedroom to change, she decided to check on her older brothers one last time before leaving. She was happy to find that they were actually resting instead of arguing. She didn't want to wake them, so she just let them be and went off into town.

…

Walking down the cobblestone streets, Red went over what she needed to get at the store. Food was obvious, but what else would they need? She didn't know for sure what it was that they had, although she assumed it was just the flu. She probably should have ask them if they wanted or needed anything, but as she had said earlier, she really didn't want to wake them up, especially since they had finally stopped arguing.

Stepping into the grocery store, Red grabbed a cart before heading over to the pharmacy in the back of the store. She looked over the shelves for a few minutes before just grabbing the first thing that said "Flu" on it. Tossing it into the cart, she went to shop for food.

After getting the essentials, milk, bread, eggs, butter and those sorts of things, she thought about what her older brothers would like. She had gotten used to preparing most of their meals, as neither of them were exceptionally gifted when it came to cooking, but she never was completely sure what they would want. They were usually just happy to eat something that was neither burned nor poisonous. How she managed not to starve to death or die of food poisoning all these years she had no idea.

After deciding on just grabbing some simple things, just enough to fill the cupboards a bit, she went over to the checkout. They were so ill, she doubted they would be very picky, so she could just make something easy. After paying for her purchases, she took her bags and started to head back to the circus. She had quite a few bags, seeing as she bought quite a lot. She wouldn't have had to buy so much if the Jokers could remember to go to the store every once in awhile.

Carrying several heavy bags in her arms, she struggled to walk down the streets, her view almost completely blocked. She now remembered why she never went grocery shopping alone. Suddenly, the top bag was lifted up, relieving her of quite a bit of weight. Pierce was standing if front of her, smiling as he held the rather heavy bag.

"Need some help chu~?" Pierce asked. Red nodded and blushed slightly, turning her head slightly to avoid eye contact. This was the first time she had seen him since their "date", which was at least two weeks ago. She had been avoiding him a bit lately, as she was a bit embarrassed about how it had ended. The had nearly kissed, which normally would signal the beginning of a relationship. But, they hadn't. The relationship signaling kiss had been interrupted. What was she supposed to think of their relationship now? Where they still friends? Were they dating? Was he her boyfriend now? Red's cheeks lit up again as the thought crossed her mind.

"Why are you doing this all by yourself chu~?" Pierce asked, carrying two of the three large, heavy, paper bags. He had offered to carry them all, but Red refused. He wasn't her servant after all.

"My big brothers are sick. I was going to make them some breakfast, but we were out of food, so I went out to get some." Red explained, still avoiding his gaze.

"So you're taking care of them?" Pierce asked.

"Yep! After all, they've taken care of me all these years. I'm just returning the favor." Red said. They walked in silence for a few more moments before Pierce spoke up again.

"I had a lot fun with you last time Red. Too bad it couldn't have lasted longer. I didn't even get to kiss you!" Pierce said. Red stopped in her tracks, her face brighter than ever. He was so blunt about it! Then again, this was Pierce. He saw everything so innocently.

"Y-yeah, me too." Red said, choosing not to acknowledge the last part.

"We can make up for it now if you want chu~!" Pierce offered. Red froze, not sure how to respond. It's not like she didn't want to, she did, but not here! Not where everyone could see them! She didn't even want to know what would happen if the word got around to the Jokers.

"N-n-not here! Somewhere else, but not here!" Red stammered.

"Boo~ But okay! If that's what you want!" Pierce said as he continued on. Red sighed in relief. She wasn't sure what she would do if he had tried to kiss her, especially in front of all those people. Shaking off her nervousness, she picked up her pace in order to keep up with Pierce. She didn't want to keep her big brothers waiting for much longer. If they woke up and found her missing, they would no doubt try to look for her, despite their current condition.

…

With the Jokers sick in bed, Red wasn't worried about them seeing Pierce, so she allowed him to help her carry the groceries to the kitchen. He even insisted on helping put them away. She thanked him and went to put some things away in the cupboard. She reached up to put a jar of peanut butter on the shelf, but she was just a tad too short. She jumped a little, but she still couldn't seem to reach. Before she could try again, a hand came out from behind and took the jar from her before placing it on the intended shelf. Turning around, she saw that it was Pierce, coming to her aid again. She was about to thank him before realizing how close he was. He was practically pressed up against her.

Smiling, he began to lean down towards her face. Backed into a corner, she had nowhere to run. She began panicking as he came closer, fully intent on kissing her right then and there. With no other option, she grabbed a bag that was sitting on the counter and shoved it against his chest.

"C-can you finish putting those away? I have to go check on my big brothers!" Red exclaimed before scrambling out of the room. Whatever confidence she had that night two weeks ago was gone, leaving her hopelessly nervous whenever he made an attempt. She wasn't sure what it was that kept her from allowing him to kiss her, but it was really annoying. Sighing, she grabbed the doorknob of Black's bedroom door and pulled it open. She really hoped they had slept the entire time she was gone instead of fighting.

"Big brother? How are you feel- OH MY GOD!"

**So, what do you think happened? I gave a few subtle hints throughout the chapter. See if you can figure it out ;)**


End file.
